Few musicians have been in as many bands as Stephen Hamm. So many that the imposing bassist鈥檚 resum茅 reads like an abridged history of Vancouver鈥檚 independent music scene: , Tankhog, Ogre, Roots Roundup, Jungle, , the Power Failures, Sunday Morning, the Evaporators.
Now, Hamm has opened his mind鈥檚 eye to focus on more solitary pursuits 鈥� namely his one-man band and new album, Theremin Man, which, as the name suggests, showcases the misunderstood early 20th century electronic instrument known as the theremin.
Patented in 1928 by Russian inventor , the futuristic sounding device relies on two metal antennas that react to the position of the performer鈥檚 hands, which control pitch and volume without actually touching the instrument. The result is a ghostly, voice-like sound, which seemed custom-made for campy 1950s sci-fi movies such as The Day the Earth Stood Still and Forbidden Planet. The Beach Boys鈥� single 鈥淕ood Vibrations鈥� and the theme from the original Star Trek TV show are often wrongly cited for featuring the theremin, while guitarist Jimmy Page notably dabbled with one in Led Zeppelin鈥檚 concert film The Song Remains the Same.听听听
For Hamm, playing the theremin began more as a diversion when, five years ago, he found for the first time in his life he wasn鈥檛 in a band.
鈥淚 love collaborating with people, but after this long career or whatever I鈥檝e had, this time I just wanted to do something by myself,鈥� Hamm says. 听
WATCH VIDEO OF HAMM PLAYING THE THEREMIN BELOW:
So he began teaching himself the unruly instrument via YouTube videos and incorporating it in his solo performances for added flare. Gradually, however, it began to seep into the forefront of his music.
鈥淭he instrument started to speak to me,鈥� says Hamm. 鈥淚t sounds like it鈥檚 from another world... It鈥檚 music from the ether.鈥�
Two summers ago, Hamm took the plunge into full-blown theremin devotee 鈥� travelling to France for a weeklong music academy featuring theremin master Carolina Eyck. All of which invites the question, what kind of people attend a weeklong theremin academy in France?
鈥淭here are people from classical backgrounds,鈥� says Hamm, 鈥渢here was a guy from Paris who was an electronic nerd, there were a bunch of moms and dads, there was a cool kid from Switzerland who was into punk rock, a guy from Spain 鈥� from all over Europe all these oddballs and just lovely people,鈥� says Hamm. 听
If Hamm sounds like he鈥檚 achieved a level of Zen through his theremin-fuelled journey across the cosmos, that鈥檚 because he has. The veteran musician is even comfortable admitting his new album has a distinct New Age vibe to it, particularly the droney, psychedelic single 鈥淪pace Sister.鈥�
鈥淥h yeah,鈥� says Hamm enthusiastically when pressed on his celestial explorations. 鈥淚鈥檓 a big meditator. I鈥檓 also very interested in the Unarious foundation, which is a group out of California and they are all about communing with the space brothers and creating art and finding your past lives through art.鈥�
He adds, 鈥淏ut the instrument told me what it wants to play and that鈥檚 what came.鈥�
Hamm says he also likes the portability and ease of being in a one-man band with a theremin under his arm. Although it might seem worlds away from his punk rock past, his new musical universe is not so distant, he says.听 听
鈥淎s I get older, I realize that my time on this planet is finite, and I found I was able to re-establish a sense of play in my life, which had been missing for a while. [The theremin] allowed me to be a kid again and play. It allowed me to connect with why I started playing music in the first place, which is that place that鈥檚 like meditation. And this instrument is like meditation in that you get lost and your mind shuts off and that鈥檚 a fantastic thing. That鈥檚 the reason I played punk rock in the first place. Same thing. Shut your mind off.鈥�
Stephen Hamm celebrates the release of Theremin Man, Nov. 23 at Lana Lou鈥檚, 362 Powell St.
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